Thanks Chris. I don't need another telescope, but I'll buy one anyway. Happy holidays to you and your family. Keep up the great reviews. I loved the music.
Thanks Kevin! You too mate, happy holidays! I hope you and your family have a fun Christmas. I'm glad you like the themed metal track. I'm having way too much fun with AI music and video recently :D
Thanks for the comparison Chris, your initial thoughts were correct, the supplied eyepieces didn't do the scope any favours. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and plenty of Clear Skies in the New Year.
Cheers Tony! I knew the eyepieces would be narrow, but they were really really narrow. I hope you and yours have an enjoyable Christmas and New Year mate :)
I knew those eyepieces would let it down which is a shame basic plossls are far better if you ask me so long as the lenses aren't plastic. Anyway wishing you & your family a great Christmas & hopefully some clear skies over the holidays (Well we can hope)
Nice review Chris I've just never understood why telescope manufacturers put so many crap eyepieces and Barlow lens with there telescope, if they just supplied one descent eyepiece, with an option to buy more later that would be so much better
I actually bought eyepieces before I bought my telescope. I bought two wide field of view plössls at 15 and 9 mm, and a 2x barlow in anticipation of getting bad eye pieces with the telescope. I suspect the telescope companies make good profit on selling expensive eyepieces continually after customers have bought their telescope. The first eyepieces seem to be there strictly so that you can at least use the telescope you just got, until you inevitably start to pay out hundreds of more dollars for eyepieces. Which I guess means we as consumers have to be smart and make good investments in those eyepieces :)
I suspect it's so that manufacturers can put 200X! on the box - which impresses people that don't understand how telescopes actually work. It's a beginner trap. It's a shame because it puts people off that try them and then they don't buy the subsequently better telescope as they give up the hobby...
Thanks Tony mate! :) I think it's partly what the guys are saying about being able to write 200x on the box, but it's worse than we thought! I've checked the box and it says 337x!! :( they also include a very cheap looking 1.5x erecting Barlow; that combined with the 4mm Huygens would provide an extremely, narrow, dim and very mushy view at 337x :( I guess the other reason for not just including a single decent eyepiece is so they can impress with how many accessories are included. It's a real shame because it's precisely this kind of thing that will kill the hobby stone dead for people. We won't be stocking this one at FLO unless we an spec better accessories with the factory. On a brighter note, I hope everyone has a happy Christmas and New Year!
@@Astrolavista This is why I always shop with confidence with FLO. You don't stock the total nonsense and there is a hurdle for all your gear to jump over before you will stock it.
This limit of 2x the diameter for magnification, in my opinion, is only valid as a reference. Generally, for planets, you won't get a good image at the telescope's limit, you'll end up a little below it, I'm referring to visual observation in achromatic refractors or Newton reflectors. The 4mm eyepiece will probably only be used for the Moon, where we can generally go beyond 2x the diameter. Try it on the Moon, Chris.
Hi Rod, I completely agree and mentioned it was a theoretical max and practically we're looking at less than 100x on the planets. Yes I'll absolutely test the scope and eyepieces on the Moon when it makes an appearance. I think that will be it's strong suit.
if you purchase a cheap telescope just make sure to purchase one with good optics, you can not expect the mount, eyepieces or the diagonal to be decent for the price, but these can be upgraded later. thats why dobsonians (sky-watcher heritage) are recommended mostly for beginners, you at least u have a good mount+optics.
Hi Chris, nice review of an outdated scope! I really like long focal ratio achromats, but when supplied with junk EPs and on a 1960s-style yoke mount, they will only put off new people.
Hi Graham! thanks mate. I thought exactly the same about yoke mounts until I tested the Sky-Watcher Mercury 707 AZ and found that it's yoke mount balanced nicely and allowed it to be used in a similar way to a Dob. It took me by surprise because it was a yoke mount that very nearly ruined the hobby for me as a kid. I tested the Mercury 707 against the Celestron Astromaster 70AZ and the Celestron's 'pan arm' photo tripod mounting was noticeably more frustrating:ua-cam.com/video/AHQM5ArGiNs/v-deo.html I hope your doing well and getting out with that very nice Celestron Evo8 of yours when you can. 100% fog at the moment hey!
@@AstrolavistaThanks Chris, all good here but yes very misty murky. I can see that the Celestron you reviewed could be worse than a yoke - it looks similar to photo tripod arrangement which has a few flaws in Astro use. Hoping we get some clear nights soon!
Thanks Martin! I hope you are enjoying the scope with some better eyepieces, and that's one BIG carp you have there on your avatar! I don't fish but I love fish keeping :)
Thanks Chris. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. 🎄🎄🎅🏻🎅🏻
You too Ron, cheers!
I guess they included the 4 mm junk eyepiece just to be able to write 225x magnification on the box…
It's that, and worse. There's a '1.5x erecting Barlow' included, which they've used to justify writing 337x on the box!
Thanks Chris. I don't need another telescope, but I'll buy one anyway. Happy holidays to you and your family. Keep up the great reviews. I loved the music.
Thanks Kevin! You too mate, happy holidays! I hope you and your family have a fun Christmas. I'm glad you like the themed metal track. I'm having way too much fun with AI music and video recently :D
I notice you've changed your YT name, Kev. Did you want me to switch from Kevin the Bold to Kevlarrx for the shout out at the end of the videos?
Thanks for the comparison Chris, your initial thoughts were correct, the supplied eyepieces didn't do the scope any favours. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and plenty of Clear Skies in the New Year.
Cheers Tony! I knew the eyepieces would be narrow, but they were really really narrow. I hope you and yours have an enjoyable Christmas and New Year mate :)
I knew those eyepieces would let it down which is a shame basic plossls are far better if you ask me so long as the lenses aren't plastic. Anyway wishing you & your family a great Christmas & hopefully some clear skies over the holidays (Well we can hope)
Hey Tich! Hopefully we'll get at least one or two nights hey. Look after yourself mate, and happy holidays!
Nice review Chris I've just never understood why telescope manufacturers put so many crap eyepieces and Barlow lens with there telescope, if they just supplied one descent eyepiece, with an option to buy more later that would be so much better
I actually bought eyepieces before I bought my telescope. I bought two wide field of view plössls at 15 and 9 mm, and a 2x barlow in anticipation of getting bad eye pieces with the telescope. I suspect the telescope companies make good profit on selling expensive eyepieces continually after customers have bought their telescope. The first eyepieces seem to be there strictly so that you can at least use the telescope you just got, until you inevitably start to pay out hundreds of more dollars for eyepieces. Which I guess means we as consumers have to be smart and make good investments in those eyepieces :)
I suspect it's so that manufacturers can put 200X! on the box - which impresses people that don't understand how telescopes actually work. It's a beginner trap. It's a shame because it puts people off that try them and then they don't buy the subsequently better telescope as they give up the hobby...
It's strange - as Bresser include a single decent Meade-style 5mm plossl with their dobs.
Thanks Tony mate! :) I think it's partly what the guys are saying about being able to write 200x on the box, but it's worse than we thought! I've checked the box and it says 337x!! :( they also include a very cheap looking 1.5x erecting Barlow; that combined with the 4mm Huygens would provide an extremely, narrow, dim and very mushy view at 337x :( I guess the other reason for not just including a single decent eyepiece is so they can impress with how many accessories are included. It's a real shame because it's precisely this kind of thing that will kill the hobby stone dead for people. We won't be stocking this one at FLO unless we an spec better accessories with the factory. On a brighter note, I hope everyone has a happy Christmas and New Year!
@@Astrolavista This is why I always shop with confidence with FLO. You don't stock the total nonsense and there is a hurdle for all your gear to jump over before you will stock it.
I have 60/900 AZ Opticon refractor, and i m happy with him! Nice for planetary observation! With ED eyepieces from TS 8mm and 15mm.
I got this scope for christmas. I shouldve seen these videos before buying.
This limit of 2x the diameter for magnification, in my opinion, is only valid as a reference. Generally, for planets, you won't get a good image at the telescope's limit, you'll end up a little below it, I'm referring to visual observation in achromatic refractors or Newton reflectors. The 4mm eyepiece will probably only be used for the Moon, where we can generally go beyond 2x the diameter. Try it on the Moon, Chris.
Hi Rod, I completely agree and mentioned it was a theoretical max and practically we're looking at less than 100x on the planets. Yes I'll absolutely test the scope and eyepieces on the Moon when it makes an appearance. I think that will be it's strong suit.
if you purchase a cheap telescope just make sure to purchase one with good optics, you can not expect the mount, eyepieces or the diagonal to be decent for the price, but these can be upgraded later. thats why dobsonians (sky-watcher heritage) are recommended mostly for beginners, you at least u have a good mount+optics.
Hi Chris, nice review of an outdated scope! I really like long focal ratio achromats, but when supplied with junk EPs and on a 1960s-style yoke mount, they will only put off new people.
Hi Graham! thanks mate. I thought exactly the same about yoke mounts until I tested the Sky-Watcher Mercury 707 AZ and found that it's yoke mount balanced nicely and allowed it to be used in a similar way to a Dob. It took me by surprise because it was a yoke mount that very nearly ruined the hobby for me as a kid. I tested the Mercury 707 against the Celestron Astromaster 70AZ and the Celestron's 'pan arm' photo tripod mounting was noticeably more frustrating:ua-cam.com/video/AHQM5ArGiNs/v-deo.html
I hope your doing well and getting out with that very nice Celestron Evo8 of yours when you can. 100% fog at the moment hey!
@@AstrolavistaThanks Chris, all good here but yes very misty murky. I can see that the Celestron you reviewed could be worse than a yoke - it looks similar to photo tripod arrangement which has a few flaws in Astro use. Hoping we get some clear nights soon!
Perfect video, i have this telescope and lenses included are really rubbish
Thanks Martin! I hope you are enjoying the scope with some better eyepieces, and that's one BIG carp you have there on your avatar! I don't fish but I love fish keeping :)
The Plosslbilities boggle the mind!🤣
lol well done
That telescope has a same focal length and a aperture. And my telescope has a junk eyepiece